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The Coffee Studio issues a cry for help

The Coffee Studio sent out a distress call to its customers asking for their support of the local coffee shop, which may have to close if business doesn’t pick up soon.

A dozen loyal customers met last month in the coffee shop at 2913 F Road in a desperate effort to brainstorm ideas to help owner Kellie McKeehan keep her business open.

“I’m just tapped out of ways to come back,” she said while describing the ups and downs the business has experienced for the past eight years.

Just when the store enjoyed its first profit, the nation’s financial downturn hit Grand Junction businesses and it has been a slow decline ever since.

We were the last to feel the effects and now we’re going to be the last to feel the rebound, said McKeehan, adding that her business has lost between 40 to 50 transactions per day.

The “Save the Coffee Studio” committee passed out coupons, hung posters and added a sandwich board on F Road to drive traffic to the shop. None of their efforts have increased sales so far.

“Everybody thinks that everybody else is coming in and they’re not,” she said. McKeehan said sales usually increase after school starts. She remains hopeful that she will be able to keep the business open a little longer.

“We just need people to come in here and buy some coffee,” she said, “And get the word out to everybody that we are still here.”